Have You Ever Heard, If You Can't Sit Still, Stand Up?
My students need 18 exercise balls.
$542 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
When you grew up, you may have heard the words "Sit still," "Stop wiggling," or "If you can't sit still, stand up!" I know I did. I don't want my growing students to feel that they must be statues or zombies in order to learn. Research shows us they don't have to. In fact, it's better to move!
Our school is in a rural farm setting where students from five small towns are bused in to a central location.
The majority of our students come from low-income families and our school works hard to meet the needs of these students and connect with the families to increase student attendance. As a Title I school, the students often come from homes where comfort is second to necessity, and cleanliness and orderliness may be lacking in their home environment. Having a place to sit and learn that is tailored to their needs is a new idea for many students who may have to share basic furniture like chairs or beds at home. Many students also have identified learning disabilities or simply need to move more than a regular seat provides for. Our classroom is small for our upper-grade students as it was originally designed for primary grades. This doesn't allow them to get up and move as much as I would like. The students really need you to help give them a way they can move at their desks!
My Project
In Oregon it often rains and that means that many students end up inside and inactive when they go home. Exercise balls will help the students improve their circulation and core muscle strength while exercising their brain as well. Besides the health benefits, research has shown that sitting on these exercise balls for moderate amounts of time helps students in school. In a USA Today article from 2009, college students surveyed about their experience using exercise balls instead of chairs noted "improvement in their ability to pay attention, concentrate, take notes, engage in classroom discussions and take exams." I know the balls may not be the preferred method for all students and I heavily research any new project or material used in the classroom. Therefore I am asking for a half class set, so the students may take turns with a chair-partner and have the benefits of both tailbone support and core-muscle strengthening. This is not a 'fad', it is a tool to help students grow and learn.
We hear a lot about students with difficulties concentrating and sitting still, and there are conflicts about the pros and cons of medication and the difficulties of diagnosis.
With these balls, I hope we can alleviate some difficulties, improve health and concentration, and help our students focus on what's really important. Students will also learn responsibility, problem solving, and the benefits of sharing by 'co-owning' the ball with their table partner. Please help us make our dream real!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Court and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
